Compare towns
Bremen vs Mapleton vs Union vs Friendship
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bremen has the most expensive homes ($425k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Friendship has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bremen | Mapleton | Union | Friendship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 917Lowest |
1,884 |
2,663Highest |
1,213 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.1±8.2 16% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
55.5±6.9Highest 24% above ME |
| Friendship and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.1%±9.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Friendship and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
39.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,000±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$75,625±$22kLowest about the ME average |
| Bremen and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$28kHighest 43% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
$275,000±$56k 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$1,370±$53Highest 20% above ME |
| Friendship and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,829 7% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,218 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±42.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Friendship and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
17.9%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Bremen and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.